Book Reviews

Story by Robert Munsch and Saoussan Askar Illustrated by Rebecca Green Annick Press Ages 4 to 8 Originally published in 1995, this updated version tells the real-life story of Saoussan Askar, a young Lebanese girl who moved to Canada with her family after a war broke out in her home country. An accurate portrayal of […]

Story by Jan L. Coates Illustrated by Marijke Simons Nimbus Publishing Ages 4 to 8 After waking up to the sound of a whimsical tune, a young girl and her dog are transported back in time to 1950s Halifax. Together they explore popular landmarks such as Citadel Hill, Point Pleasant Park, the Public Gardens, and […]

Story by Sarah Sawler Nimbus Publishing Ages 8 to 12 From the author of the best-selling 100 Things You Don’t Know About Nova Scotia comes an expanded East Coast version just for kids. Focusing on all the Atlantic Canadian provinces, Sawler has collected 100 wacky, fun, and interesting facts that are sure to please the […]

Story by Sara O’Leary Illustrated by Qin Leng Groundwood Books Ages 5 to 8 This heartwarming story starts with a teacher asking her students what makes their families special. The pages that follow explore the many different types of families, including single parents, adoptive parents, co-parents, same-sex couples, and blended families. An important read that […]

Story by Anne Fleming Groundwood Books Ages 8 to 12 Meet Kid, a shy girl with a love for cats whose stuck in one of the busiest cities in the world pet-sitting a dog. For the next six months Kid and her parents are in New York City looking after a distant cousin’s apartment and […]

By Sara Cassidy Groundwood Books Ages 8–12 Fifth grader, Evelyn, doesn’t know what to think of the new boy in school. His name is Queen and he has long hair, wears shiny shorts, and seems to attract a lot of negative attention from the other students. The two strike up an unlikely friendship and Queen […]

Story by Jessica Scott Kerrin Illustrations by Qin Leng Groundwood Books Ages 4–8 When Russell asks his dad to build him a tree fort, his dad tries his best and builds him a quaint fort without all the bells and whistles Russell imagined. He also never expected a better one would be built just three […]

By Karen L. Kristjanson Dundurn Press While separation is one of the hardest decisions parents can make, the transition from a single-family unit to two divided households is often more difficult. This is why many parents choose co-parenting, where everyday routines and holidays are shared between both parents, so they can remain equally involved in […]

Story by Sarah Tsiang Illustrations by Sonja Wimmer Annick Press Ages 4–7 When a boy and girl ask their grandfather what they are made of, he responds with a classic nursery rhyme. The children feel the descriptions don’t quite fit, so the grandfather comes up with numerous quirky alternatives to appease them. Putting a modern […]

Story by Emil Sher Illustrations by Qin Leng Groundwood Books Ages 5–8 Written through a series of sticky post-it notes, Away tells the story of a young girl and her mother who struggle to connect as often as they’d like. Using the notes to communicate with each other, the girl shares her fears of going […]